


Finding Home

by Fyeahvarric



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Trespasser DLC spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 09:48:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5201366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fyeahvarric/pseuds/Fyeahvarric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Inquisition and Trespasser, Hawke and Varric return to Kirkwall and the new Viscount reveals that he may have pulled some strings to present the former Champion with a bittersweet gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Home

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting over on Tumblr for ages, so I figured I ought to post it here. 
> 
> Any further information about Cecilia and Varric can be found over on the FuckYeahVarric tumblr, under the tag 'otp: the first sovereign'.

The air was dank and stale, dust particles floating about, exposed by beams of sunlight shining in through partly broken windows. The floors hadn’t been swept in some time, dirt and splintered pieces of broken furniture littering the familiar stone tiles, floor rugs looking as frayed as the curtains still left hanging. The entire house was dark and quiet, the only signs of life within forming spiderwebs on the chandelier and between the balusters on the staircase.

For a moment, with her eyes closed and her mind full of memory, she swore she could hear a fire crackling in the hearth, picture its glow lighting up the dark room while filling it with warmth. Instead of dust, she remembered the smell of freshly baked bread, sweet flowers, and wood shavings. In the place of silence, she thought of Sandal laughing as Bones rolled about on the carpet and her mother humming softly as she mended the hem of a favorite dress.

What had her mother’s perfume smelled like?

The scent had always been faint within the house, but as Cecilia fought to remember what it was like her brief daydream of what had once been melted away until she stood again in the empty estate, shivering as if the ghosts of what had gone away had brushed cold fingers down the back of her neck.

“I never thought I’d ever be here again. I’m not really sure I know how to feel. I said my goodbyes so long ago.”

Cecilia turned towards the entryway, sunlight catching in her golden hair, making her stand out in the dim light, her expression apologetic to the dwarf standing in the doorway and leaning against his shoulder.

“Not that I’m not grateful, Varric. I can’t thank you enough for securing the family estate for me. Though I’d wager you get far too much enjoyment out of using your position to do favors for friends.”

“What’s the point of being Viscount if I can’t use my authority to pull strings for some of my favorite people? Clearing the way for you to safely come back to Kirkwall was a hell of a lot of work, so adding the estate to the pile wasn’t a big deal. Could’ve done without the paperwork, though.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t try to pawn that part off on Bran. But I suppose neither of us actually wants the Seneschal to consider murdering you.”

“I could handle that. He glares daggers at me on a daily basis as it is.”

“You do love tempting fate, don’t you, Viscount Tethras?”

“It makes life a little more interesting.”

Varric shifted away from the wall, striding slowly towards her, a warm hand reaching out to touch her, leather-clad fingers tucking some of her long hair behind her ear. The way he let his digits glance lightly along the side of her neck before his hand dropped did not escape her notice and it made her smile. Even as subtle as the sign of affection was, it was a far cry greater than anything they’d allowed themselves to exchange over the years when the estate still had life in it and it was a sign of one of the ways her life had changed for the better.

“I thought it might be a little hard on you to see this place again, but I had to make sure. This place meant so much to your mother, so I knew I had to get it back for you.”

“I’m glad to have it back. I am and you’re right. It is important to me.”

“But? This is usually where a but comes in.”

Cecilia moved away from him, step-siding around Bones as the Mabari continue to wildly sniff his way about the room, heading to the stairs. Her old room was at the top of them, waiting to be explored with all its old traces of her, but she stopped just shy of a few steps, running a hand up and down the banister.

“There are good memories of this place…”

She traced the indentation of a fairly phallic carving in the stone, smiling at the thought of Isabela leaving her mark there.

“…but there are so many painful ones as well. When I think of home and where I was most happy, the estate wasn’t the place in Kirkwall that comes to mind. It was a table covered in cards and sovereigns and mugs full of a piss poor excuse for ale. Your voice telling stories while all of us either listened or interrupted to add our own thoughts. Even the smell of the air, unpleasant as it was sometimes…that was home. The Hanged Man was home.”

“That’s how I know we’ve been friends for too long, Hawke. My narrative flare is starting to rub off on you.”

“Maybe only a little.”

“More than a little. I ought to get you to write my next book. Maker knows I hardly have any time for it with all the work I have to do every day. What I don’t avoid anyway.”

Cecilia wanted to smile or chuckle at the suggestion, but her heart felt a bit heavy and more than a little guilty, causing her to worry her scarred lip between her teeth for a moment. He’d put time and effort in to the gift he’d given her and she felt as if she’d only been throwing it back in his face, moving to sit on the lower steps of the staircase, hands settled atop her knees.

“I’m sorry I’m being so awful about this. What you’ve done for me is nothing short of amazing, Varric. But if it’s all the same, I’d like to use the estate for something else if it’s mine again. It has enough room that I’m sure it could be used for something that would help the city. Perhaps an orphanage or something of that nature. But…I just don’t think I can live here again. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to live here, Hawke.”

Her head lifted with a start, eyes and expression full of confusion as she tried to sort out his intentions after hearing those words.

“Why go to all the trouble of getting my home back if you thought I wouldn’t want to live in it?”

“Because I wanted you to have it back. You sweat and bled and suffered for this place, Hawke. It’s a part of your family history and a big part of your story. I couldn’t let somebody else make it theirs when it belongs to you. And I figured it you wanted to live here then it’d be good to secure it just in case. But I was about 90% sure you’d want to figure out a better use for this old place than taking up residence.”

“I’m…still a little bit lost, Varric.”

He joined her at the stairs with just a few steps, crossing the space between them so easily and it made her heart feel warm to know that it could be so simple from that day forward to just be close to each other after so many years of far off and self-imposed distance. She felt even warmer when he took hold of her hands to move them from her knees and to his face, the way she sat on the steps putting her perfectly at his eye level. Cecilia couldn’t help parting her knees to let him step a little closer, smiling when he leaned in to briefly touch his forehead to hers.

“As much as I love to talk, I’m still kind of shit with saying what I need to say, Hawke. I’m sorry and I’m gonna do my damnedest to do better at that. Especially after everything we’ve both been through. I wasted too much time loving you from far away and I don’t wanna waste anymore. You’ve got this house to do whatever you want with, but if living here isn’t one of ‘em then I’m damn glad. I’ve got my old room at the Hanged Man still. I don’t live there full time, but sometimes I like to sneak away for at least a night or two. You’ve got that room. You’ve got the Viscount’s estate. Wherever I’m living is home if you want it.”

“You want me to live with you?”

“I’m hopelessly in love with you, Cecilia. And I’m a damned greedy dwarf. Having you back in Kirkwall is great, but waking up next to you every morning sounds a hell of a lot better than taking a walk through Hightown to get to you every day.”

Cecilia could feel a smile forming, his eyes that warm whiskey color that she loved, the sight making her forget that there was no fire burning in the hearth. She closed the space between them, leaning forward to draw her lips across his, melting in to the way he groaned and accepted it without hesitation in another wonderful reminder of how far behind them the avoidance of the past actually was. It was the best feeling she’d had in years.

“It would be cruel of me to make you wander all the way from the Viscount’s Keep when I know how much you loath stairs. And your chest hair really does make an excellent pillow.”

“See? It’s too good an offer to pass up. So what do you say?”

Varric took a step back and held out a hand for her to take, the very hand that had once returned her coin purse so long ago.

“Ready to go home?”

Cecilia whistled to get Bones’ attention, standing once the Mabari had padded to her side, panting and looking as happy as a dog ever did, ready to go wherever his mistress went.

“Yes. I think I am.”

She took Varric’s hand and vowed to never, ever let go.


End file.
